6 Responses to Video – Unanswered

1. Concerned reader says:

   August 26, 2016 at 9:30 am

   Rabbi, I think Dr. Brown might say that speaking from a devotional level there is a fundamental presumption on Judaism’s part that it is love of Jesus alone or 1st that comes 1st, and not a love of G-d 1st.

   Everyone involved comes at the Bible with a reader’s guide, a hermeneutic. Jewish tradition has an extensive hermeneutic of its own underlying its own approach that embraces much that is beyond scripture to elucidate the ideas found therin. The problematic passages are handled certain ways in both traditions.

   For my own part, when I hear you speak of the magnetism of Jesus, i would ask us to ponder what the actual content of said magnetism really is. What is it that the man said that could draw like a magnet?

   It couldnt be the physical human Jesus, (none of us knows what he looked like,) (nor could it be his alleged miracles, because even the NT and Jesus say muracles aren’t proof.) So, what Is the actual magnetic draw stemming from?

   I personally see that its not Jesus himself per se, but his approach to the law that draws a person. How he saw a person’s relationship to G-d.

   In other words, the 1st thing a Christian hears is the ethic of Jesus, not the theology. A person cannot have respect for a theology that is something taught later. As David pours his heart for G-d in psalms. Jesus pours his love for G-d in his teachings.

   Disagree as Jews and Christians might on theology, the Christian text knows there is a foundational devotional connection with Israel, in fact the whole gentile church is defined by its connection to Israel. The gentile Christian is only ever a grafted branch.

   What draws is When Jesus takes the perspective on things likevsabbath observance duriing the controversies that says giving a person rest from their illnesses or hunger is a sanctification of the spirit of the sabbath, and far from being work, a malicious violation, rather it exudes the message of the holiness of what G-d did in creating the world.

   Its a testament not only of G-d’s sovreignty, but the type of sovreignty G-d has. G-d has a love and a respect for his creation. You say that Christians dont use psalms? If there is one Torah text with more sermons about it, it is the psalms. Christians can understand David’s love for hashem, because they see love as G-d’s essential nature.

   In saying shabbat was made for man, this is not a dig at hashem, it is noting that shabbat is G-d’s day of sanctification as well as rest.

   Reply
   • yourphariseefriend says:

     August 26, 2016 at 9:45 am

     Concerned Reader
     When I speak of a reader’s guide – I am not speaking about “problematic passages” – I am speaking about the foundational approach – what is foundational and what is peripheral.

     About magnetism – If you read the NT you will see that Jesus’ ethical teachings are presented in order to draw the reader’s heart to the person – the character described in the book – For example – the Sermon on the Mount is presented as a contrast between Jesus and other teachers

     About the Psalms – what I meant was that the love of David is not the love that inspires people to love Jesus – missionaries don’t say follow David’s heart and you will find Jesus – they do say mangle his words and you will find Jesus but make sure to ignore his heart

     Reply
     • Concerned reader says:

       August 26, 2016 at 2:25 pm

       I know you are talking about “foundational approach.” My point wss that how one chooses to read and integrate those verses is important. Both Jews and Christians have ancient textual support for the way their hermeneutic approaches scripture.

       The New Testament exolicitly teaches that Jesus’ job is to draw a person to the father, to be obedient to the father, to bring his kingdom. To state otherwise is to intentionally misread the Christian Bible.

       Reply
       • Concerned reader says:

         August 26, 2016 at 2:41 pm

         My problem rabbi is with your method. You are systematically ignoring the aspects of the Christian Bible that run counter to your narrative concerning it. You are also unintentionally imputing nefarious intent to the Christian believer while doing this, stating as fact your opinion where and why his or her heart is where it is.

         Reply
         • yourphariseefriend says:

           August 28, 2016 at 2:30 am

           Concerned Reader This is not MY narrative – it is the narrative of every trinitarian missionary that I have interacted with and it is not MY opinion about where his or her heart is – it is the missionaries opinion of where my heart ought to be

           1000 Verses – a project of Judaism Resources wrote: >
2. Dina says:

   August 26, 2016 at 10:15 am

   This. Is. Brilliant.

   Reply